NBC Obfuscates Reality of Southern Border Migration Distress
“Woman, 2 children die crossing Rio Grande as Border Patrol says Texas troops prevented them from intervening,” read an NBC News headline published January 13, 2024. Multiple media outlets repeated the sentiment, including CBS and Al Jazeera. “Border Patrol was unable to render aid to the migrants and attempt to save them,” stated Representative Henry Cuellar on X. “This is a tragedy, and the State bears responsibility.”
However, a Department of Justice filing published on January 8 indicates that while Texas troops did prevent Border Patrol officers from entering Shelby Park, it was not until an hour after the three migrants had drowned.
“On January 12, 2024, at approximately 9:00 p.m., Mexican officials advised Border Patrol of two migrants in distress on the U.S. side of the river in the area near the Shelby Park boat ramp,” reads the Supreme Court filing. “Mexican officials also informed Border Patrol that three migrants -- one woman and two children -- had drowned at approximately 8:00 p.m. in the same area.”
After receiving this advisory, “an Acting 2 Supervisory Border Patrol Agent went to the Shelby Park entrance gate and informed the guardsmen from the Texas National Guard stationed there of the drowned migrants and the migrants in distress.” According to the filing, the Texas National Guard Staff Sergeant refused entry to the acting Border Patrol Agent, but “sent Texas guardsmen to investigate” the other two migrants reported by Mexican Officials.
Mexican Officials later confirmed the two migrants “in distress on the U.S. side had attempted to return to Mexico and were rescued by a Mexican government airboat while suffering from hypothermia.” They affirmed, “They had recovered the bodies of the three drowned migrants and had rescued two additional migrants who had attempted to cross that night.”
While Texas Officials did block Border Patrol Agents at the Shelby Park Gate entrance along the Southern Border, this did not result in the unfortunate death of the woman and children crossing the border as is actively reported.
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